BBC news with Neil Nunes

Egypt’s Supreme Election Commission says the new constitution has been approved by almost 64% of voters. Announcing the official results of the referendum, Judge Samir Abul al-Maati said the commission had investigated all the complaints of irregularities. Bethany Bell is in Cairo.

Almost two years after the fall of Egypt’s authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak, Egypt has a new constitution. It’s a victory for President Mohammed Morsi and his Islamist supporters. He says it will bring stability to the country. It paves the way for parliamentary elections in the next two months. But it’s very controversial, critics say it has an Islamist agenda and allows Muslim clerics too greater say in determining legislation. The opposition says it will continue to fight against the constitution in parliament.

Opposition sources in Syria have said the commander of Syria’s military police Major General Abdulaziz al-Shalal has defected to join the rebels. There’s been no independent confirmation. He would be the highest ranking military police officer to defect since the beginning of the conflict in Syria nearly two years ago.

Security forces in Northern Nigeria say gunmen have opened fire in a predominantly Christian village, killing 5 people and injuring 4 others. A military spokesman told the BBC the attackers fired at worshippers in a small local church during midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Tomi Oladipo reports from Lagos.